The world is in such a mess that it’s difficult discerning which evil to engage and what action to take first.

The problems first arose thousands of years ago shortly after the Bronze Age as weapons of metal were developed, giving tribalism a new way to express its power; gentler, cooperative communities were overcome as militaristic tribes not only grew in strength but also in wealth (more land and control of natural resources).

These resources were considered plentiful and were used like they would last forever with no thought about bad consequences; environmental stewardship was a concept that provided neither power nor wealth. While indigenous people regarded their relationship to the Earth as sacred, those in power thought only about their increase in wealth and their personal pleasure. Sound familiar?

Today, we are under siege from myriad evils: climate change has created extreme weather; power has encouraged Russia’s Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine; wealth has produced poverty, economic disparity and out-of-control inflation; militarism has changed our understanding of patriotism, and nuclear weapons threaten human existence; nationalism has provided us with political polarity; dualistic thinking has contributed hate, anger, anxiety and prejudice; the COVID pandemic has disrupted our lives; and there are other interconnections and evils not even mentioned (like violence, systemic corruption, crime, family dysfunction, religious polarity and the lack of moral principles within our communities).

There are lots of good people doing good things, and I will continue to hope that those with power and wealth will begin paying attention. We cannot give up.

Now in my 80s, I’ve experienced the loss of many aspects of living and many friends. Life is certainly different and some of the changes have been quite difficult but life goes on and change we must.

Also, as a Christian minister of more than 60 years, I see the need for an alternative approach to spirituality and religion. I’ve been critical of organized religion and the institutionalization of faith and think Christianity must change in order to remain a viable faith. Rather than focusing on belief systems that tell us how to have faith, I prefer to focus on moral principles that show us how to live.

While I will always be a faithful Christian, this foundation will be balanced with moral principles.

This time of year — with the conjunction of Easter, Passover and Ramadan — provides an opportunity to consider the strengths and positive qualities of three major faiths. It is entirely possible to embrace the richness of our diversity while celebrating the enormous amount of wisdom and goodwill we have in common.

It really hurts me to witness Christians, Jews and Muslims continually fight over the same sacred site in Jerusalem when the possibilities of forgiveness, reconciliation and cooperation are within reach. As long as feelings of revenge and pain feed the principles of power and wealth, we’ll experience violence and suffering. However, when replaced with actions of love, compassion and justice, peace is a realistic possibility.

The purpose of the different faith traditions, for me, is to bind us together in a search to create communities where all life is considered sacred, where every aspect of life is equitably shared, where expression/action of faith are based on love, where raising questions is as important as seeking answers, and where love, compassion and justice finally replace power and wealth as the dominant moral principles.

We can’t bring back the “good ole days,” and shouldn’t, because they certainly weren’t good for everyone — especially if you were poor and not white. Rather, we need to embrace these different times as a new adventure filled with new possibilities and new opportunities.